Mother Knows Best
by Ala Alba EC
Summary: Two unlikely individuals bonding through their shared love for their family.


The corn was sweet, sweeter than Blaise's. The soup was creamy and she could taste the slight crunch of mashed potato in between. Quite an accomplishment, indeed, the De Saint-Coquille family is really the best if it's about eating or food in general. She might not an expert, but she would know a good food either way.

Soft pings of the café's piano, the lady's voice singing the serenade of a love song, and the sway of her body as she plays; anyone couldn't help but to admire the blonde elf's skill. She had another reason of enjoying the performance; a certain forest elf had been passive-aggressively pestering her to do an 'observation' to this musician. A worthy rival for her genius, she said. Poor, deluded Daria… why of all thing to be tsundere of, should it be about familiar concern? Nobody buys it, anyway.

Suddenly, a small dissonance in a melodious tune, a missing notes so unlike the usual flawless performance. A person sat on the opposite stool from hers. She would have otherwise ignored this person, if not for her hair stood in a small cold shiver wave washed over her hand. She raised her head and widened her eyes when realizing just who sat in front of her. Pink hair in a twin wavy twintails, the girl looked around the diner like she expecting someone before putting down her top hat.

"Marinnetta…"

"Call me Dolce."

"Dolce…" she repeated herself, watching warily at the stalking spirit floating inside the café. Another missing notes from the piano, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The girl averted her eyes to her left, hands playing with each creases of her gloves in anxious twirls. To be honest, she wasn't a patient person and still doesn't; if she doesn't get her answer for another minute, she might leave this very delicious cream soup to waste.

"I need your advice…"

"Oh…"

That's better; at least she spilled it out. But advice for what? Then she remembered. She sipped her morning coffee, hiding a small smirk behind the cup.

"Of what?" she baited the nurse in-training a little. If she can't be honest in this kind of matter, then it might go a dangerous direction. Again, Dolce seemed to hesitate.

"I… I heard you have children in Sharance…"

"Indeed. And why it has anything to do with your proposal?"

"Teach me… how to be a mother."

No one haven't heard about the news, even those who weren't there when the so called 'Prince' of Selphia run toward the Little Bandage like a cluckadoo with its head cut, his wife in his arms. Though she never entertain the idea of that girl asking for her help.

"Shouldn't you ask your mother? Instead of a stranger…"

"Well, I can't. Not because I think she's not capable of anything that sort," she combed her hair back, "It's just… a pretty touchy subject to talk about."

She might not know the full story, but rumor had spoken more than the recipients themselves. Something to do with Jones' fear of blood, the townspeople said.

"I'm sure she will dote on your daughter like she dotes on you. Though I don't really get the full story, I'm sure she will be happy."

The girl, no, young woman seemed to think it over; until a small flash flickered in her eyes and she frowned down to the red haired traveler who now filling for her second cup.

"You… are trying to get rid of me, aren't you?"

"Sort off. Mostly because I'm not a right person to talk about parental advice, remaining reason is because I want to see you flustered. Lest always says that you're cute when blushing."

For the love of Aquaticus, Karina and Gaius' teasing habit started to rubbing off on her! Indeed, she's blushing; and indeed, it's cute. Dolce could only facepalm, but no longer care about her remaining blank-faced public image.

"Satisfied now? Watching me 'flustered'?"

"Yes." The red-haired traveler said laconically before draining her remaining coffee, "I still say that I'm not the right person to talk with, though."

"No, you're the one I seek. I can't really ask a domesticated mother like Lin Fa to tell me what to do when my child crack open her skull, or a very happily married Nancy of what should I do when husband disappears for three days in dungeons. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yes. You're asking me how to take care a family of Earthmates."

Dolce opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out.

"You have a point there," she then said begrudgingly. The traveler nodded in understanding.

"What do you what to know first?"

"I don't think I catch just how many do you have."

She was in her third cup. Today she had planned to go deeper to some dungeon, challenging the Grimoire for its scale, so she had to stay awake after her full day travel with minimum rest yesterday. Alvarna Academy is paying big for those scales; and with her own circumstance to think of, she definitely needs that gold.

"Three."

"Three…" the puppeteer parroted, slightly in awe, "Seriously? You don't look like one that would busy yourself with this kind of thing."

"Let's just say that we… were very happily married." From then, Dolce noticed something weird in the statement.

"Were…?"

"He left to the Forest of the Beginning."

"Oh… my condolence."

"Thank you… But for all seriousness, I don't think you need advice."

"I said it before; you won't get rid of me until you give me a proper answer."

"You already know the proper answer already. Just do what you usually do; pander her, but do not spoil. Let her go with you to the dungeons, but immediately retreat if she's hurt. It's nothing special really."

"… You think so?"

Dolce didn't seem to be convinced. That was to be expected. But she didn't have anything else if it failed; she wasn't that good with her own life either, and here she hoped that she could give advice to someone else.

"Why don't you go home and take a day off with your folks? Luna…" she remembered the last time Lest visited, he gushed over his new daughter the entire duration of the visit, "Is surely very happy if she can spent time with her Mom and Dad."

Dolce sat with her back perfectly straight, before standing up. The chair scrapped against the stone floor and let out a loud creak. She put her top head and tipped it toward her.

"I thank you, Ms. Raven." She raised her head, where the red-haired traveler could see one of those rare smiles of hers, "Though I don't know whether the gesture has any benefit on your part." Raven just waved her off.

"Just tell me how it goes the next time we meet again."

Dolce nodded and walked out of the restaurant, her ghost following not far from her. The dissonance of the pianist's tune was finally gone as the hair behind her neck stopped shivering. She really hated ghost, and she thought that the elf pianist also think the same.

But Raven then shrugged, and downed the rest of her meal in one gulp. She still had work to do.


End file.
